CfA: Kreisau-Fellows of the George Bell Institute

Call for Applications

Fellowship Program of the George Bell Institute (Chichester, UK), Kreisau Foundation for Mutual Understanding (Krzyżowa, PL), supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Stuttgart, DE)

The Kreisau-Fellows of the George Bell Institute

The Kreisau Fellows of the George Bell Institute are a network of writers, scholars, researchers and artists from Central and Eastern Europe. The Fellowship promotes difference and diversity as essential to the creative ties between generations and minds in the pursuit of understanding and justice. The Kreisau Fellows are dedicated to providing a broader context for ideas and projects based on the perception of the individual as the driving force of social and cultural change.

Deadline: January 15th, 2011

'For us post-war Europe is less a question of frontiers and soldiers, of top-heavy organisations and grandiose plans, than the question as to how the image of man can be re-established in the hearts of our fellow citizens.' Helmuth James von Moltke, 1942

'I insist, once again, on the significance of persons.' George Bell, 1943

'Never forget your humanity, and respect human dignity in your dealings with others.' Robert Bosch

Profile of the Kreisau Fellows:

Helmuth James von Moltke and his friends shared with their British ally George Bell a profound belief in the vision of the individual. They saw that the prospects of civilization itself could depend upon men and women whose creative convictions might present an alternative to accepted conventions and established institutions. Moreover, both Moltke and Bell affirmed the fundamental importance of circles of friendship which might reach across boundaries of any kind to sustain creative life and thought. Robert Bosch, too, saw that such ideals must be maintained in the conditions of everyday life and he sought to advance them in the broad context of his own work. Accordingly, the moral worlds of the lawyer, the bishop and the entrepreneur shared a striking courage, conviction and eloquence in response to the dangers of dictatorship and war.

Accordingly we are looking for candidates who possess a creative commitment which responds to the distinctive spirit which was shown by Bell, Bosch and Moltke:

1. The Kreisau Fellows are individuals with excellent intellectual achievements to their names within the humanities and the fields of natural and social sciences. More specifically they may be engaged in working in such diverse disciplines as translation, literature, physics, medicine, theatre, art, music and acting. What unites them is a vision that is both distinctive and creative, a shared commitment to their own societies and a belief in the forging of international relationships.

2. A Kreisau Fellowship enables a candidate to either realize or continue his/her professional goals in his/her own country while at the same time bringing them into an international community. The Fellowship ensures a relative independence from the existing socio-economic and political conditions and provides a (sympathetic) lasting international framework in which their commitments are recognised, encouraged and promoted. The scholarship is not paid in monthly rates, but is attached to specific projects or research costs.

3. The Fellows are expected to contribute to the international programme of the Kreisau Foundation and to spend their sabbatical in Kreisau within the first two years after receiving the financial support.

4. The candidates should come from CEE countries.

5. The communication language of the programme is English.

Selection criteria:
- A completed arts or academic degree and some work experience. The Fellowship Network aims at a mix of people of different ages.
- A willingness to participate in the international network in the period of financial support as well as beyond that specified period.
- An interest in and willingness to conduct part of the proposed project in Kreisau itself (for example in the form of a sabbatical) and a commitment to contribute to the programme locally.

Selection procedure:
- Candidates can apply or be proposed by the partners of the Kreisau Fellowships Programme (Robert Bosch Stiftung, George Bell Institute, Kreisau Foundation) and by current Fellows.
- Candidates will be selected by the Selection Committee 2 times a year (June 30, January 31).
- The Selection Committee consists of representatives of the Kreisau Foundation, the George Bell Institute and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
- The selection of a candidate is conducted in three stages:

First stage: Documents are submitted (a CV, a project proposal, which is to be realized through participation in the network).

Second stage: A trustee of the George Bell Institute, Kreisau Foundation or Robert Bosch Stiftung is asked to give an expertise/recommendation/reference of selected candidate.

Third stage: The candidate will have an interview with a representative of the Selection Committee.

Financial support
Fellows will be granted up to 5.000 Euro a year for their arts and research projects (research trip, conferences), books and other materials; 800 Euro for travelling expenses to Krzyżowa and spend a sabbatical (1 month) in Krzyżowa.

Please submit your application (CV and Motivation Letter including a project description, which you would like to realize within the network) via mail until January 15th, 2011 to Elżbieta Opiłowska.